I am in possession of the 55 gallon tank that Hagen is currently marketing as one of their Fluval kits, equipped with a Fluval C4 HOB, and I've had the time to get my stock largely settled.

I had initially stocked the tank to what I was comfortable thinking of as the prudent limit, but now that I've had some time to watch the chemistry and watch the fish (as well as some die-back), I'm looking to adjust my stocking arrangement.

I'm not totally adverse to moving animals around if I have to, or returning them to where I found them, or even adopting them out, but I don't believe I have to. While I appreciate that the tank's "surface" zones (the bottom and sides) are pretty much stocked with four Lineolata loaches and a half-grown pleco, the free water volume itself is mostly empty, with only the lonely Heckelii keeping things interesting as he zooms around above the plant level.

I'm actually thinking of getting rid of the danios - they bother me, and I never would have got them if they weren't shoved into my hands by family.

The non-specific pleco has now been identified (reliably) as Pterygoplicthys gibbiceps, adult length less than one-third the length of my tank and I'm considering keeping him, mess and all, because I like loricariids.

Also, in an incident directly related to a screaming eight-year-old and his tantrum, I have lost the A. Heckelii.

What I'm pondering at the moment:

Possibly Blue Acara pair?
Possibly P scalare single with a "tetra cloud"?
Gourami Cloud?_________________http://auditorandagentleman.blogspot.com - now with 100% more fish.
Solving the Problem from the Inside - Proud Pet-Store Fishkeeper

You need a bigger tank for the gibbiceps as it should grow quite a bit longer than the tank is wide.

Can you not swap him for a smaller loricarid?

Sort this before looking for other fish please.

Sure, I'll swap him into the smaller tanks at the only LFS in town. >_>

I think the thing I like least about diademhill is the way they undercut everyone rather than offering solutions to the actual problems asked.

It's entirely possible I invented a Gibbiceps to bait him, am lying about the dimensions of the tank, or have mis-identified the pleco in the first place.

However, just for him, I will gladly abandon the gibbiceps if it means I can get some actual suggestions for a feature-fish suitable to a 55._________________http://auditorandagentleman.blogspot.com - now with 100% more fish.
Solving the Problem from the Inside - Proud Pet-Store Fishkeeper

Might be easier to swap the 55 for a 75 or a 90 gallon tank?
There is no solution to adding stock to a 55g with a P. gibbiceps apart from a shoal of danios or similar which has already been discounted as an option.

Or make the effort to advertise a gibby to someone with a 90 gallon plus tank?

I have travelled thousands of miles to make fish pairings so trying surrounding towns or answering a few emails to shouldn't be unsurmountable.
Store tanks are temporary - a gibby in a 55 will suffer eventually.

I think the thing I like least about diademhill is the way they undercut everyone rather than offering solutions to the actual problems asked.

I think this is a rather rude comment. Diademhill has been on here for a long time and has always given good advice. I would actually have said the same thing about the gibby as I own one. I also own an 18 and 12 inch commons._________________47 tanks and still adding!
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I think the thing I like least about diademhill is the way they undercut everyone rather than offering solutions to the actual problems asked.

I think this is a rather rude comment. Diademhill has been on here for a long time and has always given good advice. I would actually have said the same thing about the gibby as I own one. I also own an 18 and 12 inch commons.

This is quite true - it is also unfair, and I apologize.

The gibby will eventually be longer than the tank is deep. Being made of money as I am working for minimum wage at the LFS I can absolutely replace the tank - sarcastic responses are entitled when sarcastic questions are offered.

The reluctance to release the Gibby from my care comes from being one of perhaps eight people in the city with a tank this size, never mind a tank larger - I know two people with 75s who refused, a person with a 120 custom who says it isn't hardy enough to go in with his fish (what he has that an appropriately-sized Loricariid can't handle, I'll never know), and one gentlemen who is building a custom on the order of what I think will be about 1200 liters which is nowhere near being ready.

I refuse to use Kijiji or craigslist to re-home him for the same reason I quiz customers at the LFS - too many people are willing to lie about the size of their tank to get a cool or oddball fish.

Not driving (can't afford it) also rules out trying the nearby towns and cities unless people are willing to come get it.

But just for you, because you've solved problems in the past, I'll post a kijiji ad.

Which changes the question, since I also took in the Danios last night:

As it happens, the Gibby has been rehomed - it turns out an uncle of my SO has a fondness for the things, and his 300 gallon FW community was missing one, so he came by to pick it up this afternoon._________________http://auditorandagentleman.blogspot.com - now with 100% more fish.
Solving the Problem from the Inside - Proud Pet-Store Fishkeeper

The hillstream loaches, denisoni and golden barbs are compatible. These are all fish that prefer the lower end of tropical temperatures.
Six is too small a group for tiger barbs and I would replace both these and the gold barbs with half a dozen Rosy barbs.
You need to aim for 70F, certainly below 74F for the loaches and this is too low for the tiger barbs & gouramis.

Four opalines would be too many and I always advise looking for two females -doesn't matter if one matures as a male but thse fish are territorial. Paradise fish would be a better option with the cooler water fish.